Friends,

We wrapped up another week in our nation's Capitol. After the 60th Presidential Inauguration, the House swiftly got back to work to deliver on the promises we made to the American people.

From voting to protect our communities from violent criminals, to working to ensure healthcare for infants, to voting to protect America's natural resources, the House is back to work.

I'm thankful that over the next week, I will have the opportunity to be back in Hampton Roads working for you while we are out of session. Now, back to another edition of the Weekly Debrief...!

Norfolk Airport Tour

Last week, I got the chance to tour the ongoing renovations at the Norfolk International Airport. This project will invest more than $900 million in physical infrastructure at the airport. Specifically, this construction will add three gates to accommodate increasing demand, a new U.S. Customs Inspections screening facility to service additional international flights, and expand the airport's administrative capacity to better serve travelers.

As our region continues to grow and thrive, it is important our infrastructure continues to improve alongside it. With the incredible natural beauty of Hampton Roads, it's no surprise tourism is one of our top industries. These investments will further our ability to grow this vital sector of our economy and continue to make Hampton Roads a great place to live, work, and raise a family.

Thank you to Norfolk International for hosting me!

Sending the Laken Riley Act to the President's Desk

Earlier this month, the House voted on and passed our first bill of the year, the Laken Riley Act. The original House version of the bill would have required the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to detain illegal immigrants charged with, arrested for, or convicted of theft offenses and allowed for states to sue the federal government for failing to enforce border laws.

The Senate then voted on and sent the House back an amended version of the Laken Riley Act. The Senate's bill further required DHS to detain and deport illegal immigrants who are charged with, arrested for, or convicted of assault on a law enforcement officer or if they commit a crime that results in serious injury or death – on top of theft offenses.

For the bill to head to the President's desk, the amended Senate bill had to be passed by the full House of Representatives. I am proud to report that it passed by a vote of 263 to 156, with every Republican and 46 Democrats voting in favor of it.

This bill was named in honor of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley, who was brutally murdered by an illegal immigrant who had been arrested and released twice before as a result of the Biden Administration's weak border policies. 

This is the first bill this Congress to head to President Trump's desk to be signed into law. Republicans made a promise to secure our border and increase community safety, and that’s exactly what we’re doing...!

Advocating for American-Made Clean Energy

In the House of Representatives, one of the most effective ways to get specific policy included in legislation is through committee work. But, what happens when a member of Congress doesn't serve on a committee that oversees a priority for their district?

Periodically, House Committees will host what they call "Member Days," which allow members who don't serve on their committee an opportunity to advocate for their desired policy under that committee's jurisdiction.

This week, I did just that. I appeared before the House Ways and Means Committee, which covers tax policy, to highlight the importance of putting America first by unleashing domestic energy production through an all-of-the-above energy approach. You can watch my full testimony below.

The House is already busy at work to reverse former President Biden’s failed energy policies and unleash American energy dominance. However, we must protect our existing clean energy tax credits – which have benefited our Armed Forces, small businesses, and families. At the end of the day, in order to increase American energy dominance and bolster our domestic energy security, we need to protect as much production and innovation as possible.

On Air: Sharing My Priorities in the 119th Congress

Last week, I had the pleasure of joining The Briefing with Steve Scully on Sirius XM Radio to discuss my priorities for the 119th Congress. We had a wide-ranging conversation about a variety of topics including how we can strengthen our military, restore peace through strength, secure our borders, and make our government more efficient.

I enjoyed outlining my priorities and previewing some important issues I plan to tackle this Congress. Thank you to Steve Scully for having me on! (Fun fact: two of Steve's daughters are U.S. Navy helicopter pilots... Go Navy!) You can listen to a segment of my interview by clicking the image above.

Fixing Our Forests to Mitigate Fire Disasters

Over the past several weeks, like so many Americans, I have been heartbroken by the images coming out of Southern California as a result of recent wildfires. While wildfires will never be entirely avoidable, we can act now to prevent them from destroying entire communities through proper forest management and collaboration between all levels of government.

I was proud to join Chairman Bruce Westerman in introducing the Fix Our Forests Act to reform forest management, support communities most at risk of wildfire, and deploy new technology to enhance our ability to respond to fires after they ignite.

I was proud to vote in favor of this bill, which passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 279 to 141. It now heads to the Senate for a vote. Should this bill be signed into law, it would:

• Simplify and expedite environmental reviews for forest management projects
• Make communities more resilient to wildfires by better coordinating existing grant programs and promoting new research
• Promote federal, state, tribal, and local collaboration
• Deter frivolous litigation that delays essential projects
• Create a framework for prioritizing treatments in the forests at the highest risk of wildfire and near vulnerable communities
• Encourage the adoption of state-of-the-art science and techniques for federal land managers
• Encourage active management to improve the safety of powerlines and other infrastructure
• Strengthen tools like Good Neighbor Authority and Stewardship Contracting
• Support wildland firefighters and their families by ensuring continuity in casualty assistance programs

I will continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to help Americans affected by natural disasters like these fires and recent hurricanes fully recover and get back to normal.

Princess Anne High School Visit

One of my favorite parts of being your Member of Congress is showing people from back home around our nation's historic Capitol Building, which gets even better when I am able to host the next generation of leaders, our high schoolers...!

It was so much fun to meet with a bright group of students from Princess Anne High School this week and answer their questions about the Capitol and how our government works. This tour was especially awesome because we had the opportunity to see and stand on the stage where the President and Vice President took their oaths of office just one day prior!

If you're ever in D.C., we'd love to have you stop by the office and show you around this truly historic place. To request a tour or let us know you're coming to Washington you can fill out this form, and a member of my team will get back to you!

Weekly Poll

With over 1,492 responses last week, nearly 70% of you said that you are optimistic about the new Administration taking office. I agree with you, for four years it felt that something was not right in our country, and that change was needed. I am looking forward to getting to work to secure America's future. During the 118th Congress, I was ranked the 19th most bipartisan member of Congress. Rest assured, I will continue to champion policies that benefit all Virginians - Republican, Democrat, or independent.

And now, on to this week's poll question...!

Medal of Honor Recipient of the Week

This week, I would like to honor Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient Pvt. David B. Barkeley of the United States Army(Medal of Honor action date: November 9, 1918). 

David Barkeley was born in Laredo, Webb County, Texas on March 31st, 1899. He had been born into a military family. He first enlisted in the Texas National Guard, before following in his father's footsteps and joining the United States Army in 1917, upon the U.S. entry into World War I.

In August 1918, he deployed to France with the 155th infantry to fight in World War I. Shortly after his arrival, he was assigned to Company A, 356th Infantry. Only days before the Armistice, he volunteered for a mission, to find the exact position of the German lines and gather information about troop strength and deployments. Pvt. Barkeley bravely swam across the Meuse River, near Pouilly-sur-Meuse, to gather the information. The enemy tried to prevent any crossing of the river, but they succeeded in their mission and gathered information on the Germans.

When attempting to return across the Meuse River, he was seized with cramps that prevented his swimming, causing him to drown. 

Barkeley was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor at his mother's home in San Antonio in 1919. In 1921, an elementary school in San Antonio, Texas, was named in his honor. On January 10, 1941, a U.S. Army installation, Camp Barkeley, was also named in his honor. A memorial honoring the forty-one Hispanic soldiers who have received the Congressional Medal of Honor was built in Laredo in 2002. He is buried in San Antonio National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas. 

Constituent Corner

I know how difficult it can be to navigate the federal government. Recently, my office was able to assist Jose from Virginia Beach resolve an issue he's been battling for over a year with Social Security which prevented him from being eligible for Medicare. After reaching out to my office, we were able to assist him correct this information and get him the benefits he is owed!

If you need assistance with Social Security or with another federal agency, my team is here to help. Contact my District Office at (757) 364-7650 or visit my website and my team will be in touch!

Don't forget - if you’d like to stay up to date with what I’m working on, check out my website and follow my Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn pages (linked below) to stay up to date!

If you or your family are visiting Washington, DC in the coming months, please stop by to say hello!

Take care,

Jen A. Kiggans

Congresswoman, Virginia's Second District

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